Wonderfully Rapid Growth of Duluth
The Cosmopolitan published an article about Duluth on Jan. 19, 1871 — 155 years ago today. It was during the period when the Duluth Ship Canal had been partly dug, so all shipping traffic to that point either went through the Superior Entry between Minnesota and Wisconsin points, or docked at the breakwater built on Duluth’s outer harbor. (more…)
Selective Focus: Tori Kaufman’s Visual Art
Wildlife biologist Tori Kaufman has drawn inspiration from her work outside and has curated a series of oil prints. Her exhibition at Wussow’s Concert Cafe features boat-inspired vignettes, sturgeon and other critters, and other subjects. The prints are on display through the end of January. Kaufman is also a participant in the local literary scene, putting together type-written poetry in zine-like formats. A sampling of her work and a recent interview are below. (more…)
Engelbert Hattenberger: Honarary Citizen of Duluth
On Jan. 17, 1986 — 40 years ago today — Duluth Mayor John Fedo issued a proclamation declaring Engelbert Hattenberger an honorary citizen of Duluth, “with all the rights and privileges appertaining thereto, as recognition of the high regard and esteem in which this distinguished personage is held by the Citizens of Duluth.”
Hattenberger was a 65-year-old Austrian ice sculptor who was in the city for about two weeks to create art on the Duluth Civic Center plaza during the Winter Sport Festival. It was the first in a four-year stretch of ice-carving trips to Duluth for Hattenberger. (more…)
Making it Up North: Y-ker Acres
PBS North has rebooted its series Making it Up North, which explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.
The premiere episode of the new digital series profiles the Stamper family and Y-Ker Acres, located about a dozen miles southeast of Duluth in the town of Twin Lakes. The farm is home to heritage-breed beef and pork, raised on open pasture.
Then and Now: Denfeld High School
This aerial photo comparison shows Denfeld High School as it looked in 1947 and in 2025. The building first opened in 1926 — 100 years ago — and has seen several additions since then, including a gynasium wing in 1987 and a science wing and common area in 2011. The athletic stadium on campus saw a major renovation in 2002 when a new grandstand was built and the natural grass was replaced with artificial turf. (more…)
Pink Marlena – “Ishpeming” and “Akiing”
Pink Marlena, aka Makwawigwamikwe Marlena Boedigheimer, has a new album, Ishpiming, set for release Jan. 16 during a performance at the Dr. Robert Powless Cultural Center. (more…)
Postcard from the Kitchi Gammi Club in 1916
This postcard was mailed Jan 12. 1916 — 110 years ago today. It shows the Kitchi Gammi Club building at 831 E. Superior St., which opened two years prior. (more…)
Duluth Deep Dive #12: Ads from the Archives
Duluth Evening Herald, June 18, 1909; Sept. 5, 1899; Oct. 31, 1908.
While putting together the Duluth Deep Dives, I often come across ads in the Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub that I find amusing, surprising, well-designed or a direct reflection of the historical period. When I see one of these ads, I make a clip and put it aside in a folder. In what seems likely to be a reoccurring topic, this Duluth Deep Dive goes into those files to present 20 somewhat remarkable ads. (more…)
DuluthiLeaks: MacArthur Elementary PTA Budget for 1979-80
For the seventh edition of DuluthiLeaks — Perfect Duluth Day’s series in which public documents are presented as if they contain secret information leaked from an anonymous whistle blower — we present the Laura MacArthur Elementary School Parent Teacher Association’s proposed budget for the 1979 to 1980 school year.
Pronoya – “Pull Me Closer to the Flame”
“Pull Me Closer to the Flame” is from Pronoya‘s 2025 EP All for the Sun. The video is directed and edited by Cristian Pastrana of D/E Design & Studio. It was shot at Pizza Lucé by Pastrana with additional camerawork by Austin Sherzberg.
Wizardstone – “People People”
From the great forests and lakes of northeast Minnesota comes Wizardstone, the musical alter ego of Chuck Olsen, who hopes the video for the song “People People” can “help envision the world we want to live in.”
Ingeborg von Agassiz – “Poison”
A new original song from Duluth’s Ingeborg von Agassiz.
Ian Alexy – “Healing Me”
“Healing Me” is the new music video from Duluth’s Ian Alexy. The track is on Alexy’s new album The Tao of Ian.
Video: Ice Climbing at Quarry Park
“The Frozen Photog” Adam Jagunich recently visited Quarry Park in West Duluth, capturing scenes of ice climbers ascending the 100-foot manmade cliff at the former quarry, which became a city park in 2016.
Postcard from St. Mary’s Hospital circa 1904 to 1911
This postcard, published by the Rotograph Company of New York City and printed in Germany, shows St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth. The card has no postmark, but Rotograph’s postcard operation ran from 1904 to 1911. (more…)
PDD Quiz: 2026 Coming Attractions
Peek into the future with this week’s quiz, which previews 2026 business openings, shows, and shenanigans.
A quiz reviewing January 2026 headlines comes your way on Feb. 1 or as soon as possible, technology permitting. Please submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by Jan. 21. (more…)
Bob Dylan Statue News
Beautiful Days
So many things are happening around our city and the country that are confusing, difficult to understand and often display a certain degree of ugliness about our world. There are more people on the streets who are homeless, mass shootings, a rise in Nazi and fascist groups, the East Wing of the White House has been torn down, and ICE agents continue threatening and arresting our neighbors.
And from around the world, we’re dealing with climate change, wars in such places as Gaza and the Ukraine, and pandemics.
In times like these, how do we create and embrace beauty? How can you and I uplift the beautiful spirit that flickers in all of us, even in those darkest moments? How do we represent our better angels and bring beauty to our city by the lake?
Maybe, it begins by asking a simple question. How do I stay human? In a world of angry rhetoric, divisive politics, impatience, noise, growing disparity, self-absorption, and isolation, how do I stay human? The first steps could be embracing our humility, a search for meaning beyond our personal lives, and the resilience to find a moral compass that guides and directs us. (more…)
Ernie Nevers pro football debut was exhibition game in 1926
On Jan. 2, 1926 — one hundred years ago today — Willow River native and Superior Central High School standout athlete Ernie Nevers made his pro football debut in an exhibition game in Jacksonville, Florida. He represented the Jacksonville All Stars in a much-hyped game against Red Grange’s Chicago Bears. (more…)
Original Chester Bowl warming house opened at end of 1925
The Jan. 2, 1926 Duluth Herald reported on the recent opening of a warming house at Chester Park, one month ahead of the national ski tournament held there. A new chalet was built at the ski hill in 1972. It was named the Thom Storm Chalet following Storm’s 2015 retirement as Chester Bowl’s director. An expansion and renovation project for that chalet is planned for later this year.
Perfect Duluth Day’s Best Videos of 2025
From the multitude of videos posted to PDD, here’s the annual handpicked collection that stood out in 2025. (more…)
2025: The Year in Duluth Gig Posters
Perfect Duluth Day’s collection of gig posters goes back to 1976, so there are now 50 years of bulletin-board art compiled on this website. But in this particular post we focus on just one year, 2025. (more…)
Berzerk Blawndz – “Santa is Injured”
Berzerk Blawndz released a new Christmas album, Go Berserk This Christmas!, in early December. The post-Christmas release of the music video for “Santa is Injured” tells the story of how St. Nick was unable to deliver presents this year, so the band did the job using Steve Solkela’s minivan.
Sixteen thousand people read my little project?
I am proud to learn that a journal I have co-edited for the past decade has a new mechanism for reporting its readership. I have always known that this journal was important to me — I am ecstatic to learn that it might mean something to other people — 16,000 people downloaded articles just this year.
If you would like to be a writer or a reviewer for this journal, reach out. We are going places. (more…)
New Duluth restaurants served up comfort classics in 2025
Minnesotans have a soft spot for comfort food, and three new Duluth restaurants are serving up hearty, warming dishes to help locals through the coldest winter months. (more…)